Of First Downs and Other Trivial Things

This semester will either be my most sadistically-orchestrated wreck, or my finest proverbial hour.

I’m working until roughly 1-2am, then getting up at 7:30am Monday – Thursday for class. For many years now I’ve been a staunch advocate for Too Little Sleep and Caffeinated-Anything as underrated tools in the writer’s arsenal (at least, -this- writer’s arsenal), but even I have limits. It does take me to a place I enjoy writing from, but it also admittedly makes me rather irritable and gloomy, two qualities that I serve up too much of even on a good day. In the off chance I became crabby-assed toward anyone out there, rest assured it’s most likely due to (though, of course, never justified by) the above-stated.

Also, as I’ve mentioned briefly before, my work as a creative blogger has become official with the signing of the first-month, probationary contract. The first post goes live on September 15th, and rest assured I’ll point everything that direction when the time nears. The income from the project is needed and welcome, as is the experience.

I’m also apparently on board to be an assistant-editor with the ever-awesome Vince for the Analecta this year, an endeavor that I feel honored and eager to be a part of. Also, I may or may not be doing some proofreading work in the future, thanks to Charmi.

I think once it becomes a bit more routine I’ll acclimate to it well, as I’ve been a night owl for as long as I can remember, and have not regularly let myself receive more than 6 hours of sleep since I was around 10 years old, when my mother gave up trying to have me do otherwise. I’m simply one of ‘those people’ that feel that time is quite sincerely the most valuable thing in the world, and I’ve felt for a long time that I’m battling my own clock, be it toward death, the inabilities of extreme old age or what-have-you. Those little cliche realizations people have on sitcoms where someone dies, the old egg about ‘living every day’ and all that — I was fortunately born with this attitude, though it quite resolutely decides to manifest itself more as ‘surely there is something interesting I can be doing besides lying unconscious for three extra hours’, even if ‘something interesting’ is catching up on a favorite TV show, writing a blog that no-one reads, and so on.

I feel lazy when I sleep more than 6 hours, and on the very rare occasion that I accidentally (always accidentally, I’m serious) take a *gasp* nap, I mentally berate myself for hours afterward and feel like an absolutely lazy oaf. I get so little real time to myself, that I feel sleep is a monumental waste.

Damned weak flesh that traps my mind! I suppose this is what attracted me to the Enhance-Everything world of cyberpunk.

I’m sure you’ve all been quite entertained now by my rantings on not liking sleep; if you were bored, you may all write letters of complaint to the kind and friendly Talia, who insisted I update more often with my Ryan Rambles(TM).

On a less rambly note, the highlight of my day/week/month thus far has been the addition of a dog to our family! My mother and I recently moved into the first house in a long while where we were allowed anything other than our two cats (Sweetie and Oracle). A good friend of the family knows a woman near Bremen who runs a small-dog pet rescue, and we went to visit, and came home with a Chihuahua-Manchester Terrier mix named Hoosier. At first I didn’t like the name, but it’s so adorably rural that it grew on me rather quickly.

He is the cutest, kindest little dog I’ve ever encountered. Very laid back and quiet, he just likes following people around and napping, and of course randomly leaping onto laps and licking. He’s the perfect little dog. Pictures are coming soon, I promise.

And yes, of course, more poems to come as I find time to write them, and don’t feel ashamed to share them.

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I hope this ramble didn’t bore anyone too terribly much, and I wish everyone a very relaxed Labor Day.

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2 thoughts on “Of First Downs and Other Trivial Things”

Wow! You have so much exciting stuff coming your way. Congratulations on the Asst. Editor position. I think you’ll have a blast with Vince.

When I had my daughter she for some reason, could not stay awake long enough to eat enough, and so was up every 2 hours to eat. Every 2 hours! I got so used to it, though. It’s kind of amazing how our bodies can adjust. However I disagree with you that caffeine is overated. God bless coffee!

I have a chihuahua, too. I don’t know if you already knew that. You know, now you have to go buy Hossier some clothes. A little sweater maybe for the winter.